Death Note II
by Morierus
Summary: One year after L's death, Kira decides to remove all traces of himself and vanish forever. However, the entry of two new detectives, Near and Mello, force him to stay just a little longer... This is how the second season of Death Note should have been .
1. Resolve

Light was driving the car back to headquarters when a ringing almost distracted him from the road. Glancing at his vibrating cell phone, he noted his father's name on the caller id, and decided to wait until arriving to talk to him. Two blocks later, the headquarter building loomed before him, and he calmly pressed the answering button on his cell as he walked in.

'Light, where are you?'

'I'm entering headquarter's as we speak. What happened?'

'Nothing. Yamagata returned home at the usual time, watched an anime while he ate his dinner and then proceeded to complete his homework before going to bed, where he is still asleep.'

By this time, Light had entered the main room of operations, where Shoichiro Yagami, Matsuda and Aizawa were all sitting in front of many computer screens showing live images of their suspects. Chuckling inwardly at the futility of it all, Light walked over with a serious, intent mask on his face. The three policemen turned to face him, and you can tell the toll this had taken on them with only a glance. His father's hair had turned gray during the first year of the investigation, and had mostly fallen during the second. His bald head was bowed, clothes covering what seemed a skeletal mass of bones and skin, wrinkled face still burning with purpose, yet it was a tired flame now, about to be extinguished.

'The method is wrong, Light. We cannot simply observe every high school student who was under investigation by the FBI, and hope that Kira would slip up and reveal himself.'

True, but you idiots cannot come up with a better idea, so you will follow this circular road until I figure out what to do with you.

'It is the only clue we have, father. There were no useful connections between Yotsuba and the police force, only minor cases of corrupt policemen without any family members who are in the right age. None of the other members of Yotsuba knew how Higuchi had come to possess the Death Note, and subsequent surveillance confirmed it. The only hint we have is with the original investigation of the family members of the police force.'

_I need to keep them occupied while I figure out how to get myself out of this. I cannot execute them now that the information of the Death Note has been revealed, regardless of it not being tested for confirmation. Besides, I cannot be the sole member of the investigation team who survives, and there may be a list of the people involved somewhere in the police department that the team has not been informed about, under L's orders. I need to find a way to isolate us, despite L's orders__._

'Light, don't you think we have to ask other agencies for help? With more people, investigations could go deeper, and maybe they can see something that we have missed-'

Light turned to Matsuda. He had always been the most enthusiastic, most helpless and most willing to absolve Kira of the sins attributed to him. He was the stereotypical mass follower, and yet he was in the remaining task force. The irony made Kira smile inside.

'We cannot do that under any circumstances, Matsuda-san. The FBI agents that Kira killed have been hidden from the public eye. The Chief himself called the previous L, removing all hope of further collaboration on the Kira case. They were the finest, Matsuda-san. We cannot risk more damage with other police forces, who may aid us in other cases. No, Kira must be caught by this task force alone. There can be no help form the outside.'

_Besides, I cannot afford to have even more people learn about the Death Note. Damn you, L! I must do something, and quickly, before the situation is taken out of my hands._

Aizawa remained silent. He had always been the most doubting of Light, too independent to be manipulated easily, and the evidence that L had compiled was convincing enough to cause lingering doubts to remain in his mind, even after all that had happened. He was a small thorn that had to be dealt with, eventually.

Nobody said anything, so Light told them to go home and get some rest, he will maintain surveillance on the suspects. After they left, he made himself comfortable on one of the couches by the window, pretending to rest for a short while as he stared outside.

Japan had really changed since the day Kira was born. People had a newfound security in there faces, a confidence in their safety and that of the people they care about. They had finally become afraid of the consequences of sin, knowing that one day they will feel the constricting fist of justice squeeze their hearts, that there was no escape from judgment; you cannot escape Kira.

It's better this way, though. As I suspected, only a tiny minority in the population feel the active urge to sin and commit crimes, while the vast majority simply wish to live in peace. After all, what is there to fear when you know you have done nothing wrong?

'

'Say, Light. How long do you think you can keep up this farce? You can't keep pretending to be stupid forever, or they will catch on to it.'

_Ryuk must be getting bored, talking despite knowing that I won't answer. Still, he'll have to put up with it. I'm too much fun to kill, and his presence may come in useful if I need to do the eye trade as an emergency._

'I mean, you can't keep giving useless ideas and not make them suspicious. Why don't you just kill them? Ages ago, a person in your position would have either killed them by now or else tortured them into keeping silent for the rest of their lives, I really don't understand why you don't-'

Ryuk stopped talked when he noticed a change in Light. His eyes were narrowed and gleaming, and that arrogant half-smile was back in his mouth.

_It looks like Light got an idea._

*************

'Are you sure of this?'

The luggage had already been loaded, and the clear blue sky overhead assured them of a safe flight. The only thing preventing Near from departing immediately was the reticence of his caretaker to let him go.

'Yes, for god's sake. It's been a year already. If the current L is too incompetent to catch Kira, then I will be there to either help him or do it myself.'

The other servants stood at attention, awaiting the decision reached after their senior's final attempt to dissuade their master. They were not distressed at this leaving; Near had never been less than just, but he did not inspire anything more than respect.

'Don't you think the risks are too great?'

The young man raised his head, staring at his caretaker with cold, hard eyes. His silver hair fell over his ears, framing a clean, childish face. Almost angelic, thought the caretaker, except for the eyes.

'I owe it to him, and to myself. I will go.'

The old man stared sadly as his charge was driven away to the airport. From the instant he had seen Near's expression, he knew he couldn't dissuade him. He just hoped Near knew what he was doing.


	2. Alone

2. Alone

He couldn't sleep, nor could the formless clouds flying by soften the sharp rage of Mello that still pierced him if he wasn't careful. Sitting in the airplane seat, Near's mind drifted once more to the day he learned of L's death. It had been four days ago…

*************

The rain hadn't ceased during the whole day, turning the normally verdant garden into a myriad of ponds where some children were splashing away at themselves, ignoring the caretaker's cries to get inside before they got ill. Near gazed out the window impassively, time lengthening into a knife that scraped away his patience_. Where the hell is he? And what could have provoked the director to summon both Mello and I? It must be a big case he wants us to work on…_

With those thoughts, the door banged open and a orange-haired teen strode through. Wearing a biker's outfit and irritated expression, Mello barely glanced at the impassive Near as he turned to face the director.

'What's going on here? You need both me _and_ Near on a case?'

The director didn't answer, merely stared at them for a second. Side by side, they couldn't be more different; for those who knew them, though, they couldn't be more similar.

The director knew them, and he knew how they would react to the news. He sighed, and somehow managed to drag the words from his vocabulary.

'L is dead.'

Time stood still, thunder deafeningly silent in shock. Apart from anything, this was simply unprecedented. L had always solved the case, as had the L before him, in an endless chain of detective genius dating to the beginning of the Wammy orphanage. That someone was able to not only outwit, but also kill, L was unthinkable. _Big case indeed._

Mello hadn't been so restrained in his opinion, of course. His eyes had widened and his breath stopped for a second, but his actual expression was unreadable. His words, however, were angry.

'How can you be so sure? L was extraordinarily diligent in eliminating his weaknesses, and operations on the Kira case have continued without a pause.'

'A security mechanism given to him, a small computer program that must be re-booted every year. Not doing so will cause a message to arrive at here announcing his death. We got that message yesterday.'

'Fine. So we're here to choose a new L, and we are the obvious candidates. Who will it be, then, me or Near?'

Near hadn't participated in the discussion, preferring to abstain and wonder how he would proceed to capture Kira. _From the limited information on the news, I gathered that Kira needs a name and a face to kill and the possible existence of a second Kira that needs only a face. Obvious candidates are the members of the police force involved in the Kira investigation, since they may have access to L's face. But would a photograph do? In that case-_

'Near will be the new L.'

It was the expected choice; Near had been slated for the position since the Juno case in 2003. Mello had then left the orphanage in order to take a different approach in solving cases, forming his own street gang in the process. The more distance between them, the better they got along.

'But that is not why I brought you here, Mello, and you know it. Near is the new L, but he is still untested with cases of this magnitude. The previous L died at the hands of Kira and he was far more experienced than the two of you together. That is why I would ask of you to work together this one time, in order to avenge L and defeat Kira.'

'Sounds good to me.'

Of course Near would say that. Their investigative styles were complementary, if jarring. It would make perfect sense for them to work together. But, there is a reason why there can only be one L, and he knew it. Investigations are a delicate process that must be closely controlled and monitored; two chiefs would only tread on each other, often raising enough dust in their private battles that a criminal hide beneath and escape. Near knew this, and he knew Mello knew. The only way for them to work together was for Mello to abandon his initiatives and follow Near's lead, and while that perfectly suited Near, Mello would rather die than surrender leadership.

'Never. Near is the new L, he can handle himself well enough against Kira to survive, at least. However, I will be the one to catch Kira, not Near.'

With those words, Mello turned and walked out. The director sighed; it always came down to this. Facing Near, he noticed that his face was an image of concentration, devoid of sadness or any emotion relating to L's demise.

'What are you going to do now, Near?'

Looking up, the short eighteen year- old answered with an ice-cold lack of inflection.

'Solve the puzzle.'

*************

Things were well underway. Near had already contacted the people he intended to recruit, and they had shown themselves willing, if a little nervous and disconcerted. _It doesn't matter, as long as they follow my orders without question and keep an open mind. Now, let's start with the investigative taskforce in Tokyo…_

*************

'Light, turn it on to Sakura TV, hurry!'

Shoichiro Yagami burst into the room, face pale as snow, and grabbed the remote before people could react, switching channels himself. They were greeted with the familiar blank screen and the Kira insignia. Aizawa and Matsuda blanched, while Light stared at the image intently. Kira was grinning.

'I have decided it is time to pass judgment on the police force. The very people who are meant to protect us are often prey to the baser temptations of mankind, and it is something that cannot be forgiven. Today, at 4 pm, Sasuke Okita and Ryota Naramura will die. Sasuke Okita was guilty of theft, while Ryota Naramura accepted money from drug-dealers and turned a blind eye to their activities. There are many like them in the police force, and judgment will arrive to them all. Every week, two corrupt members of the police force will die, until there are none remaining. However, I will pardon and grant the opportunity of redemption to all those who come forth with the identities of the people trying to catch me. If they make their faces and names known, I will pardon them.'

As expected, the other three members of the taskforce were quivering, faces like curdled milk. _This is working well so far. Time to give the chief of police a call._ Grabbing the telephone, he dialed the appropriate number and waited. On the second ring, it was answered.

'Hello?'

'This is L. Have you seen Sakura TV?'

'Yes. The people are in an uproar over here. Naramura and Okita have been found dead. Their hearts simply stopped. This is a disaster.'

'We must protect the identities of the people in the taskforce under any circumstances, chief. Are you willing to work with me?'

'What do you suggest?'

_Here goes._

'Send a tape to Sakura TV with as many images of people and fake names as possible. In addition, assign a group of computer experts to do the same in every single webpage they can, beginning with those related to Kira. This should buy us enough time.'

'Enough time to do what?'

'Give every single member of the police force a new identity. We determined that Kira needs a name and a face to kill. If all the names are incorrect, then the members of the police force should be safe.'

'The costs of this operation would be-!!'

'I know, but announce it soon, else the entire police force will be revolting against you in order to get the identities of those remaining on the task force.'

The chief sighed, defeated. _This is going smoother than I thought. Now for the most important part._

'There is one more thing, chief.'

'What is it?'

'These measures will satisfy the majority, but there may be some who will still try to get our identities. We will need extra measures.'

'What do you suggest?'

'Eliminate our identities. Destroy all the photos, get rid of every place our names are mentioned within the Kira investigation. Better yet, eliminate all traces of our members being in the police force, as far as possible. You may need to get the help of the Secret Service for this, but it must be done.'

'L, what you ask for is impossible. The resources that will go into this-'

'It is necessary. We are the only thing standing between Kira and the world, chief. We will need your help if we are to win. I trust the members because they have been with me since the beginning, but there may be newer recruits who have been tainted by Kira's view of justice. My members are indispensable, and they must be protected regardless of the cost. Aizawa-san, Matsuda-san, Yagami-san and Light-kun must be eliminated from the memory of the police force, as much as possible.'

A frustrated sigh was heard at the other side. Several seconds passed. And then…

'Very well. I will get in touch with the secret service right away. It will be as though those three you mentioned never existed.'

'Excellent. I will, of course, keep sending you the reports of the investigation, but they will be untraceable and our identities will never be revealed at any stage. I ask of you to keep this information to yourself, chief, and not to tell anyone. Not even your most trusted protégé. Even your future successor may be a follower of Kira. We only trust you.'

'Very well. I will inform you of the proceedings next time we talk.'

The phone call ended. The other three members looked limp with relief, the weight of the world having been lifted from them. Light smiled reassuringly, Kira grinned victoriously within. _Soon, all knowledge of us will have been eliminated. I will then destroy all known knowledge of the Death Note, and I will have won, forever._

Floating behind him, Ryuk had laughed uproariously the whole time.


	3. Ether

3. Flow

_He's taking too long to go about this. Maybe he suspects something?...No, the reasons were all valid. Is the secret service really this incompetent?_

Light stood by the monitors, furious revising his moves as he stared blankly at the screens. The other three were carefully analyzing the behavior of the new suspects, muttering in low voices, working so intensely they all jerked in shock when a shrill ringing emanated from one of the screens.

Unseen, Kira gave a massive sigh of relief. Having set a program to constantly search the internet for their names, he was pleased to see that it finally returned no results. In no place did it mention their existence; police academy, university, marriage certificates, everything had vanished.

_We are now ghosts in Japan. Ghosts that will die in anonymity, ghosts that can breeze through the world saving mankind from itself. I've almost become a Death God, if you look at it that way. _The thought made him chuckle.

'It seems that we no longer exist within Japanese memory.'

'So the Secret Service has eliminated all record of our existence?'

'Exactly, Aizawa-san.'

Matsuda breathed a sigh of relief as Light reached over and grabbed the telephone. Dialling the appropriate number, he waited.

'Yes?'

'This is L, director. I see that all the information of the investigation taskforce has been destroyed. I am calling to ensure that there are no hard copies of the data on your end.'

'Everything has been gotten rid of, as you requested.'

'Excellent. You will receive our most recent report tomorrow, midnight.'

The clicking of the telephone as he set it down was possibly the most satisfying sound Light had heard in a while. He asked the other members to keep watch over the suspects while he cleared his head and thought of their next move. Grabbing is trench coat, he walked outside with long, confident steps.

Behind him, Ryuk floated around with a curious expression on his face.

'Light, are you going to kill the director now?'

'Of course not, Ryuk.'-They were in the street, so it was relatively safe to talk in a low voice, after discretely checking that his clothes haven't been bugged. 'It would be risky to kill him immediately.'

'Why? You isolated the taskforce, and nothing could be traced back to you. What's stopping you?'

'First, I need to be sure that there are no hard copies of information left; all I could check over this distance is the information on computers. Second, I need to establish a record of anonymous reports as L so that it wouldn't look suspicious if, after his death, there is a sudden change in style of the Kira investigation, since I cannot be sure how the previous reports were altered as a result of the identity elimination. I do not want sudden changes of style to be remotely tied with incidents involving Kira; someone may ask questions.'

Soft and mild, his voice had all the appearance of a 19 year old, a smiling face of innocence observing the world with excitement and hope. Although this was the first time Ryuk had dropped a Death Note into the human world, he had never heard of a person reacting to the notebook the same way Light had. Wondering whether the boy had ever been sane to begin with, Ryuk followed him to see how the situation unfolded.

'I see. Still cautious as always, aren't you? But how will you make sure that there are no hard copies?'

'That's the simplest thing in the world, Ryuk. I'm about to do that right now.'

Taking out his wallet and a pen, Light began writing the director's name on a hidden piece of paper.

*************

'Light, we have a problem.'

'What's going on?'

'The Chief of the Japanese Police has been kidnapped.'

'What? By who?'

'We don't know yet. They contacted the academy through the Chief's cellphone, and all we could tell was that it was international; something was scrambling the signal. All the kidnappers did was call to offer a trade.'

'What do they want?'

'The Death Note that the Japanese Police have in custody.'

_Someone figured out that the Japanese Police have a Death Note? What is going on here?_

Light decided to take charge immediately, before something foolish was done. He would consider the implications of a potential leak later on, but for now, he could see how this could benefit him. It may actually kill two birds with one stone, if he set it up right.

'Father, how much did the academy react to the news of the kidnapping?'

'They are furious, demanding that the Kira taskforce share all their information with the rest of the academy. They are demanding that the fate of the note be decided by the collective police force, since they are now in potential risk as well.'

_Somebody must be really pleased with themselves. The way this is going, all the maneuvering for isolation may have been for nothing, if their demands get loud and shrill enough. Still, under no circumstances can they get the notebook; I shudder to think what would happen then. _

'Well, that is clearly out of the question. Nonetheless, somehow information of our investigation has been leaked to the outside; we mustn't discard any options in solving this problem.'

Aizawa chose that instant to enter the room, pale-faced. He was motioned for Shoichiro Yagami to follow him quickly, and started to explain the situation in rapid-fire speech.

'An American has shown up at the academy, a man claiming to be an FBI agent named John McEnroe. He wants to speak urgently with someone involved in the Kira investigation.'

'I see. He doesn't know anything about the director having been kidnapped?'

'It doesn't seem so, sir. I took him outside the academy and into a secluded café. I hope that your meeting will be more private that way, without revealing too much about ourselves.'

Entering the café and sitting at a table in the far end, Shoichiro Yagami was greeted by a tall, powerfully-built man with blond hair and a block face.

'I must say, this is a surprise. What can I do for you, Mr McEnroe?'

'I'm here to talk with you about the Kira case, Vice-director.'

'The Kira case? I didn't think that the FBI would want to get involved after the last incident involving Kira.'

'Frankly, we don't. But we have information now that was not available to us before, and it enables us to set up a proper investigation. That is why I am here to request that you hand over the notebook of death to us.'

The vice-director stood still, unsure of how to react. _How did the information get leaked out so badly?_ First, an unknown had kidnapped the director, and now the FBI knew about the note. He needed time to think.

'Are you the people who kidnapped our chief?'

'What?'

'The Chief of Japanese Police has been kidnapped, and an offer has come through to trade him for a notebook of death, as you mentioned. If you had nothing to do with the kidnapping, then get out of here. We have more important things to deal with.'

Surprised, the man retreated, exiting the cafe. However, he had merely stepped outside in order to call Near and inform him of the current status.

*************

'Near?'

'What's going on?'

'They claim that the director has been kidnapped, and an offer to exchange him for the notebook has come through.'

_Somebody else knows about the existence of the notebook? Could Kira have captured him? No, he must already have a notebook. Then who?_

'Very well, then. Tell him that we no longer demand the notebook, but as a sign of international cooperation and trust, we wish to help them in the investigation of the director's kidnapping. Also suggest that the offer may have to be accepted. If worst comes to worst, steal the notebook towards the end.'

_This way, I'll figure out who else knows about the book, and how did they know. Is it a leak from my taskforce?_

Looking around, Near found that hard to believe. He had formed the team by selectively choosing members from both the CIA and FBI, after convincing the CIA director of his theories and credentials. He viewed them all as trustworthy, and although they may not be so, the other option had far greater risk and so had to be an assumption taken for truth.

_God damn it, Mello, __is it you? Although, even if it is, this may offer me an opportunity to observe this second L in action. If he turns out to be as incompetent as I think he will, it will serve as greater leverage to allow the SPK to take over the Kira investigation._

Plotting ahead, he threw darts at a board hung on the wall, hitting closer and closer to the bulls-eye.

*************

'Vice-director, I apologize for my earlier remarks. I had not known that the Japanese Police faced such a problem. I wish to extend the help of the FBI in order to quickly resolve the kidnapping of the director.'

In the time that the man had been conversing outside, Shoichiro had quickly texted his son in order to inquire as to the next move. Light's suggestion was to push the man into helping them solve the kidnapping._ He's right; we need as much manpower as we can get, and the problem may get tricky if they are holding him overseas. This seems to work out perfectly for both of us._

'I accept your offer. The more help we get, the faster this will all be over.'

After parting with him, he returned to their headquarters as quickly as possible. On entering, he saw the other members waiting to hear the details from him. Explaining what had happened, they sat down to think about what to do. Light was astounded, to say the least. He had been careful, yet in all his worst case scenarios, he had never envisioned two unknown variables entering his plans at the same time.

_Well, for now, let's squeeze out the advantage this gives me. I'll figure out what the new variables are later._

'I think I have a plan.'

They all turned to observe him.

'What is it, Light?'

'We carry out the exchange.'

'What?!'

'Think about it. We don't know who these people are, or how they found out about the Death Note. If we do not have some form of contact, they will merely keep kidnapping police officers until someone accepts their deal. However, if we contact them early on, then we may get some information on them which will lead to their arrest.'

'But must this information cost us the Death Note?'

'Not necessarily. If we do this right, then one person will be delivering the notebook while the others will be keeping watch over him. That way, we may even get some information on them before the exchange even took place. Depending on how quick we move, they may not even have the notebook for more than a few hours.'

They all paused to let the idea sink in. When they seem to have accepted, Shoichiro offered himself, due to his status as the Vice-director and head of the Kira taskforce, as the courier of the Death Note.

'I really think you would be a bad choice for the courier, father, precisely because you are the vice-director and head of the Kira taskforce. The academy is in sufficient disarray due to the kidnapping of the director. I do not think further pressuring it by sending the vice-director on an assignment that may potentially result in his death is the right course of action.'

'You're right, Light. I didn't think this through. Well, if it is not me, I think it should be the second most senior member of the taskforce.'

Everyone looked, expectantly, at Aizawa.

'Very well. I will deliver the notebook myself.'

They thanked him and praised him for his bravery, while Light smiled inside. He had already ensured the director's silence by writing it in the Death Note, although the date of death would soon have to be altered. It still looked more natural this way, though, and absolutely no information would have been gained from this kidnapping.

_Two birds with one stone._


	4. Reckoning

The planning was a difficult balance to strike. On the one hand, Light had to make it thorough enough to satisfy the expectations held by the taskforce and, in addition, to test the abilities of those who discovered the existence of the Death Note; however, it had to have enough holes for the transaction to go through.

_Everything hinges upon them getting the Death Note. If something goes wrong, arrows will be flashing in my direction at every turn, and it seems plausible that someone may pick up on them now._

Finally, a plan of action was agreed on. The kidnappers instructed them to go to LA, so the first step would be getting there. Aizawa will be leaving first ting the next day, but there would be agents from the taskforce watching him, at least one in each plane departing to LA within a one hour difference. In case they were shaken off, he would have a tracking device installed in his left shoe which showed his exact position on a screen in headquarters. Those steps had been hammered out when the phone rang. Matsuda reached out to answer.

'Hello?'

'I would like to speak with L, please.'

'L?'

'Yes. Please tell him to get on the phone.'

Turning, Matsuda handed the handset to Light, who had listened in to the short, interesting conversation. _They have my number? Just who are these people? Hopefully this call will explain some things._

'This is L.'

'Hello, second-generation L.'

The rest of the taskforce convulsed in shock, Matsuda going so far as to gasp out his astonishment. Light held perfectly still, his face impassive, yet his heart started beating very rapidly.

_My voice is being distorted by the computer, so even if he knew L, he wouldn't be able to know just by the voice. Either they figured that L wouldn't take so long in catching Kira, or there must have been some unknown mechanism I had overlooked to announce L's death to a third party. How many people have this information? They were able to pinpoint my location to a telephone number. How much DO they know? This is bad…_

His voice, however, showed no sign of his mental anguish.

'There is only one L, and you are talking to him right now. Who are you?'

'I don't know who you really are, second-generation L, so it wouldn't be fair for you to know much about me either. For the sake of conversation, however, you can call me N.'

_N? Is this guy mocking me? Still, there's something about this…It reminds me of L._

'What do you want, N?'

'To tell you I exist, second-generation L. I have formed an independent investigative force, combining agents from the world's top agencies. We are the SPK, Special Provisions for Kira, and our aim is to capture him.'

Light could barely stop his laughter of mocking disbelief from erupting through his tightly-pressed lips. Looking at Ryuk, he could see the Death God laughing out of excitement, given the prospect of another challenge. Life may have been getting boring for him, after all.

_Thanks for informing me of your goal, N, it'll come in handy. First, I will find where you come from, then who you are. And finally, I will destroy you and what you stand for, and I will laugh._

'I'm glad to hear that our goals are the same. Now, however, our priority is the rescue of the Chief of Japanese Police, who has been kidnapped.'

'Yes, Shoichiro Yagami has informed one of my agents, John McEnroe, of the situation. You have our full support, and we would like to provide as much aid as we can.'

_And here I was, wondering how I could get us to work together on something. Do you think you can catch me by repeating L's moves?_

'Working together would be excellent. If you have any contacts in LA, I would need you to spearhead our operation from that end.'

'We do have some people stationed there. I'm getting the LAPD to defer to you on this case. As you know, there can only be one director in an orchestra, and you are in charge of this symphony.'

_So you get to observe my movements from afar without giving up anything on yourself, and sidestep the potential problem of working with me by declaring two heads in an investigative taskforce counterproductive. Very smooth._

'That's perfect on my end. I'll get in touch with the LAPD first thing tomorrow, and I'll inform them of their role. Thank you for your help.'

'It's the least I can do. I will contact you later on for details.'

They hung up. The Japanese taskforce seemed ready to explode at the plethora of developments that have taken place.

'Light, how did they find out that L is dead?'

'I believe it was a system which I overlooked when I was rebooting all the information lost when Watari died. This indicates that L and Watari did not operate solo, but there was more backing them than we anticipated. There are people now who definitely know that L is dead and of the existence of the Death Note, possibly much more.'

_Alright. Although I must concentrate right now on the kidnapping situation, there are still a few resources I can spare to handle N. I can't discount the possibility of there being an internal leak from N to the kidnappers, or that they may be the same people. With L's resources, some useful information must pop up, even with superficial inquiries._

'We must find out who these people are. They claim to be a group investigating Kira, yet they might be after the Death Note for financial purposes, like Higuchi, or maybe out of some twisted sense of justice, like Kira. We also cannot discount the possibility that this _is_ Kira, who has gained some pliable followers to help him. If it is Kira, this is very good news for us, but I doubt it.'

Aizawa looked surprised at the final tidbits of information, and inquired further.

'What do you mean, Light?'

'If this is Kira, he seems eager to get his hands on a Death Note, which only means that the one currently in his possession is coming to an end. He probably wrote names in it until the last page, and is now desperate to get another, or else criminals will stop dying and people will believe that Kira has disappeared.'

'So we have to do everything we can to prevent this transaction from happening.'

'Exactly. The measures we have agreed upon should suffice and provide enough control over the situation to stop the trade. If we do that, then the battle against Kira would have come to an end, and although we may not catch them in the near future, no more will die. This would be the easy solution.'

'So why don't you think this is Kira?'

'It doesn't match his methods. He has been very careful so far, always urging others to achieve his goals for him, always working in indirect paths. If the culprit were him, this has exposed him far more than anything he ever did, provifing us with a chance of catching him. Kira has a twisted, naïve sense of justice, but he knows his capture would lead to the undoing of everything he has achieved. He would rather have people think he's bidding his time and wait for another solution than do this.'

The other three looked at him, understanding dawning slowly on their faces.

_Time to know the enemy. With this explanation, they won't voice any questions or complaints._

'We must find out who they are, and quick. We cannot risk having more people know about the Death Note.'

The suggestion came, surprisingly, from Matsuda. The other two quickly voiced their agreement, and Light grinned inwardly.

It seems that I won't have to voice all plans of action myself. Works better this way, too.

************

Setting down the handset, Near wasted no time in reaching for another toy to play with in his free hand. The agents around him waited in strained silence for a few minutes, until the one who called himself John McEnroe could resist no longer.

'Near, what's going on?'

'I suspect that this new L is incompetent and unable to handle the current situation. I just want to give him enough rope to hang himself.'

'But why did you have to inform him of your intention to catch Kira? You could have simply offered to help him without revealing as much about ourselves as you did.'

Here Near stopped flying his toy plane through the air and sat very still, eyes slightly unfocused. His voice, when answering, was factual yet thoughtful, as though unsure of his assumptions yet willing to act on them nonetheless.

'To kill L, Kira would have had to be very close to him, so it is natural to suspect the people within the investigative taskforce. Following that logic, your encounter with Shoichiro Yagami was useful two ways. I announced our existence and challenged him, without giving any information about ourselves beyond our competence. Following his reaction to L's first challenge, I expect him to react quickly to mine, and maybe he will give us an angle we can work with.'

'So you think he will try to figure out our identities?'

'Without a doubt. His method of doing so will give us more information.'

'What was the other purpose of my encounter?'

'It confirmed the existence of the Death Note. We can now proceed onto the forced merging of the taskforces, although I'm not so keen now as I was before.'

'What has changed?'

'Nothing substantial. But don't you find it strange that they didn't pose much resistance to our offer to help? They have been unsuccessfully chasing Kira for two years, and now the Chief of the Police Academy has been kidnapped. Any honor they once had has now vanished. I would have thought they would be more anxious to recover it.'

The agents looked bemused.

'But Near, that can mean anything. It isn't a big enough factor to change plans on. They may have realized they can't do it alone.'

'Yes, you're right. For now, proceed as planned.'

_Damn it, now that I now the Death Note exists, I need more information on it. It's likely that Mello reached that conclusion as well, and is why he's putting on the whole show. Well, now that I have a good idea who the leak is, I'll get the information from him once he gets the notebook; I doubt the new L is good enough to avoid that. If I get the japanese taskforce to give me some requirements for the use of the notebook, I'll have a clearer idea of how much influence Kira has on them._

He reached for his toy trains and continued playing, waiting for the time to pass.

************

The day came slowly, each second an hour of liquid thought, floating happily through the possibilities, creating opportunities of mishaps and victory of defeat. Light wondered at his state of mind.

_I've never felt like this since my battles with L. Maybe I really need shackles around me, if only to prove their futility in trapping me._

Pleased with himself, Light monitored the current situation. Aizawa was in the airport, Shoichiro Yagami keeping a close eye on him as he walked towards the waiting lounge. Light expected them to make their move either in the Tokyo airport or the LA international airport.

_Patience. It will probably be too expensive for them to make their move here, so I'll have to until they reach LA in order to react. No use getting anxious now._

'Ryuuzaki! There's a person talking to Aizawa, and they seem to be diverging from his direction.'

Despite having asked them to call him that over the phone, not wishing to risk attention or detection, it was still strangely morbid to hear them calling him that, like a tasteless joke that he could do without.

'Follow them without getting too close, father. Merely check which flight they are going to.'

_They seem to be moving fast. They have greater resources than I anticipated; I wonder if they have the cunning to match them?_

'Light, it's the flight Matsuda is on, heading to LA right now.'

'Excellent. Let them go, father. Matsuda can handle this from here on.'

'Ok.'

************

Aizawa was tense, sitting next to a tall, burly man in corduroy suit who watched him constantly.

'I trust you have the note, Mr. Aizawa.'

_He knows my name? But we had all our informtion erased!_

'Yes.'

'Excellent. Please place this in your left ear.'

Aizawa was getting unnerved. He had been walking towards the lounge when this man had stood behind him, whispering that he knew who he was and what he was doing. He had given Aizawa instructions to follow him, signaling two airplane tickets, and had quickly marched him here. Now, placing the earpiece in his ear, he heard a voice speaking directly, forcefully, into his brain.

'This is a private conversation. Not even the man next to you can here you, Aizawa-san. Now, do you have the Death Note?'

'Yes.'

'You know that, if you don't have it, or you try to trick me with a fake one, the director will die, right?'

'Who do you take me for?'

'Your words are meaningless, but your tone suggests you're speaking the truth. That's good. You can call me M. I have no interest in harming either you or the director. If this goes as I say, we can all go home happy. Are you willing to do as I say?'

'Yes.'

'Excellent.'

Matsuda, watching from the other aisle, mentally prepared himself in case he needed to intervene, although it all seemed normal enough so far. Suddenly, the plane shifted route. A voice cracked over the intercom.

'Ladies and gentlemen, we are making a short stop to drop off two of our passengers. I apologize for the delay, but it is an urgent emergency. Thank you for your patience.'

_What? They even managed to take over the airplane? Just how far does the reach of these people go?_

Mulling furiously over that, Aizawa was led off the plane onto a Hawaiian runway, and quickly led to another one which took off within seconds of him entering.

************

Those same thoughts passed through Light's mind. He had been following all the developments via information that Matsuda had been whispering discreetly to him, as well as the secret microphone that Aizawa had hidden on his person. Now, he could only guess what they will do next.

_It seems unlikely that N's men will come into play at this rate, not knowing where they will deviate to now. These people clearly cannot be underestimated, their plan has been well-planned and well-executed so far; not the work of amateurs by any stretch of the imagination. Besides, they know his name. How the FUCK do they know his name?_

Worried over this grave breach of security, he leaned back, hoping that it will all go according to plan from now on.

************

'Near, we have received news that a plane heading from Tokyo to LA has been forced to perform an emergency landing in Hawaii.'

Looking up from the Lego castle he was building, Near glanced at the information on the screens.

_So you're going to use your most secure hideout for this operation, eh, Mello? It seems you may have learned the wisdom of caution._

'It will be interesting to see how the second-generation L deals with this. It is probably his first international challenge.'

'What do you want us to do?'

'They are heading to the LA hideout of the gang I told you about yesterday. Get your most trusted men on the job; this is vital, I need to know what is happening there. If necessary, get the FBI to clear the area, we cannot have variables ruining the facts.'

'Anything else?'

'The information we gathered on the gang is not enough. I want everything from A to Z, hideouts, activities, anything you can get your hands on. Only one thing: no pictures must be taken, only rough sketches. Especially not of the leader, Mello. And do not go into any more depth than the gang; I'm not interested in anything they did before then.'

He then returned to his toys, flying the tiny airplane in impossibly unpredictable paths.

************

Five hours later, they landed in a deserted runway in the middle of a desert.

Exiting, Aizawa was led to what seemed the entrance to an underground bunker. He was urged downstairs, where he found a room separated into three compartmets by glass walls, with a small shelf in which sizeable items may be placed and be pulled through to one of the other sides. He waited for only five seconds, however, before both the director and a gun-wielding masked man appeared, each in a separate compartment. The director remained silent as the masked man spoke.

'This glass is bullet proof, so even if you managed to sneak a weapon in here, don't even bother taking it out. Now, what we're going to do is very simple. Place the Death Note within the glass compartment. As I pull it through to my end, the separation between the director and you will slowly open, and once I have the notebook the director will be in your room.'

Doing as he asked, Aizawa waited impatiently until the director crossed the border, and then quickly inquired as to his health and treatment he received at their hands, without taking his eyes of the masked man. When he noticed the pen in his hand, Aizawa started.

'What are you doing?'

Looking at him, the man snorted in derision.

'Isn't it obvious? This notebook may be fake. I'm going to test it.'

It was open to the front cover, and he was reading it, muttering very quietly.

************

'So the person whose name is written on the notebook, while thinking of ther person's face, will die in forty seconds, and if the reason is not specified, it will be by heart attack, huh?'

'That's right, Mello.'

'Alright, then. Proceed as planned.'

Relaxing back into the sofa, Mello looked around, taking in his surroundings. His gang was sitting or lying down on various sofas, some of the men fooling around with some of the women. They were men he had known for a long time, some of them critical in his control reaching the level it did.

_None, however, are indispensable. And, more importantly, none of them can substitute me, and they know it._

'Tell me, Jason, what are you planning to spend your money on when you reach fifty?'

The mentioned man stopped pawing his woman and turned, looking at Mello with small, beady eyes.

'What?'

'You heard me. What are you planning to spend it on?'

'How did you know my real name?'

'I know everything about you. Most relevant to this conversation, I know you stole money from us on three different occasions and are still hoarding the profits in five different bank accounts in Switzerland. What did you plan to do with it?'

'Man, fuck you! What the fuck-'

'You're still alive.'

'Huh?'

Understanding flashed through his eyes, and he quickly whipped out his gun, pointing it at Mello. Faster than him, though, another gang member called Matt had taken out his own gun and shot Jason. Falling to the ground, blood slowly spreading in crimson pool around him, he could only stare and flop weakly as Mello neared him.

'Fuck this shit.'

Another gun shot, this time from Mello. Jason's head splattered on the floor.

'God fucking damn it, what the fuck where they thinking, pulling this stunt?'

Cusing incessantly, Mello strode towards the room with the director and Aizawa, gun in hand, a murderous expression on his face.


End file.
